The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh announced Tuesday it is offering eligible faculty and staff a voluntary retirement buyout with a one-time payment equal to 50% of an employee's annual base salary.

UW-Oshkosh becomes the third campus within the UW System to offer buyouts in an effort to reduce its workforce in the face of state budget cuts. UW-Eau Claire was the first, followed last week by UW-Superior.

UW-Oshkosh expects about 100 employees would be eligible. It has set a goal of reducing its workforce by 80 within the next three years.(53)

Packers' Mike Neal takes a big step at OLB

Green Bay --- Listen to Mike Neal break down the play that changed Sunday’s game and he sure sounds like an outside linebacker.

He eyed the formation. He noticed the tackle dropping into a pass set. And, on spot, Neal thought he could beat right tackle Ryan Schraeder off the edge.

“So I starting speeding up the field, but then they started play-action’ing it so I stopped,” Neal said, “and I was able to jar him past the quarterback and then I saw Matt tap the ball so I knew it wasn’t a draw play. I just wanted to get a hit on him and my thumb hit the ball and the ball went straight up in the air.

“The rest is history.”

Johnny Jolly recovered the fourth-quarter fumble. Four plays later, Matt Flynn hit Andrew Quarless for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in Green Bay’s 22-21 win. In 13 games, Neal has 34 tackles (25 solo) with four sacks and one interception. These last two games was the position switch for Neal in a nutshell. At Detroit, like the rest of Green Bay's defense, Neal struggled. On bootlegs and against the run, he was lost at times.

Then, Sunday was precisely what had position coach Kevin Greene so excited back in August when the Packers transitioned Neal from the defensive line to linebacker. The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder — who lost a lot of weight to get here — is at OLB to change a game with one, two explosive plays. Those plays, so rampant in this defense seasons past, have been missing.

Neal now has three sacks his last four games and had 2 1/2 pressures on the overmatched Schraeder. With experience, Neal feels more comfortable at the position. Like Nick Perry, he should see more 1-on-1 opportunities opposite Clay Matthews, too.

On Thursday, Neal stopped short of saying it’s all clicking. He's not looking past the mistakes of previous games.

“A little bit. There’s always stuff going through my head,” Neal said. “Obviously, there’s still a comfort level you need playing that position. It’s getting there because the game is everything. No matter how many practices you have, just the comfort level of doing it over and over again at game speed is helping me out.

“I’ll put it to you like this. Most of the time you’re making the transition from a defensive end to an outside linebacker. Technically in a 3-4, I was a defensive end. But I was really a defensive tackle in the system. So moving from defensive tackle to outside linebacker has been a little overwhelming. But if I’m playing for this team another 3-4 years, who knows where I’ll be after this season, but it’ll be something I’m able to do. I love it.”

With Neal, it’s been about staying healthy. He’s been available this season.

Lately, the Packers have been cautious with Neal (abdomen) during the week to keep him ready on game day.

“It’s sore,” Neal said of the abdomen. “So I’m trying to keep it to a minimum play, go out there and play. That’s about as much as I can do. I’m going to play Sunday. That’s one thing you can count on. It doesn’t matter how many practices I miss. I’m going to play.”

A position switch is starting to pay off. For the Packers and for the pending free agent, Neal.

About Tyler Dunne

Tyler Dunne covers the Green Bay Packers. He has been on the beat since 2011, winning awards with the Pro Football Writers of America and Milwaukee Press Club.